Blake Pontchartrain: The Crescent City Connection

When were the spans of the bridge built, and how much did the toll go up over the years?

Work has begun to remove the toll collection structures on the West Bank side of the Crescent City Connection.

Hey Blake,

When were the spans of the Crescent City Connection built and how much did the toll go up over the years? Also, how did people get to the West Bank before the bridge was built?

Jerry Slater

Dear Jerry,

Your question is timely, since work began just last week to dismantle the Crescent City Connection toll plaza, signifying yet another chapter of the bridge's long history. The 12-lane toll plaza structure has not been used since a 2013 court decision and voter referendum ended tolls on the Crescent City Connection.

Originally called the Greater New Orleans Bridge, the first span opened to traffic on April 15, 1958. Prior to that, drivers used the Huey P. Long Bridge (opened in 1935) or ferries to get across the Mississippi River to the West Bank.

The Mississippi River Bridge Authority, chaired by Capt. Neville Levy, oversaw the bridge's opening, which followed three years of construction at a cost of $65 million. The bridge, which at the time was the longest cantilever bridge in the world, was dedicated Oct. 18, 1958.

The original tolls ranged from 35 cents for cars to $1.75 for large trucks. The toll was reduced to 30 cents in 1962 and was eliminated in May 1964.

Construction on the second span, which cost $500 million, began in 1981 and was completed in September 1988. A $1 toll was instituted soon after.

The Times-Picayune and state Sen. Fritz Windhorst organized a contest to rename the bridges. The winner was Crescent City Connection, submitted by Gay Herbert's fourth-grade class at St. Clement of Rome School in Metairie. The name was changed in April 1989. A list of other finalists is below:

1. Crescent City Connection — submitted by Gay Herbert’s fourth-grade class at St. Clement of Rome School in Metairie

25. Crescent City River Bridge — Janice Thompson’s second-grade class at Rosenwald School in Algiers.

Correction:In my June 7 column, I misstated the location of the old Pelican Lanes bowling alley. It was at 105 Veterans Memorial Blvd. in Metairie (location of Heritage Plaza). Paradise Lanes was down the street where Barnes & Noble currently operates.